


burning bridges of stone

by Lire_Casander



Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Angst, Gen, Mind Control, Non-Graphic Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-23
Updated: 2019-04-23
Packaged: 2020-01-25 15:37:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18577420
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lire_Casander/pseuds/Lire_Casander
Summary: Suddenly Max is no longer scraping to get inside the car but pinned to the chassis, tables turned as Michael controls him with just a hand outstretched and a glare under furrowed brows. From the yelp coming from Isobel, Max has the feeling that this has surprised her too.





	burning bridges of stone

**Author's Note:**

> Title's a personal tweak on Hanson's _Bridges Of Stone_. Unbeta'ed, all mistakes are my own. 
> 
> I do not own the characters, they're all the writers'.
> 
> Set right after Max discovers that Isobel and Michael sent Liz away ten years before, in the wake of Rosa's death.
> 
> Written from [this prompt](https://archiveofourown.org/comments/222167674) on my AO3 comment feed: _In 1x05 max finds out what michael and isobel did 10 years ago so what if when max wants to go after her michael wont let him and pins him down with his powers then tells isobel to go find liz and make her leave again max is all angry and struggling against the force holding him down michael lets him go long enough to grab him from behind and restrain his wrists max keeps struggling yelling angry and heartbroken things at him thats but michael holds on tight thats when they hear liz pulling up before max can even call out for her michael already put a hand over his mouth and is dragging him back from the livingroom to the wall behind in the bedroom max keep calling out for her still struggling but all that comes out are muffled shouts when liz leaves michael lets go of max but not before asking something like if i let you go will you please just stop yelling and struggling and listen to me we are only doing this to protect you its for your own good even if you cant see that right know in his ear max knods michael pulls him over to the bed and lets him slowly carefully go but keeping a grip on one wrist max takes a deep breath and then punches michael in the face but before he can do it again michael grab his other wrist again to and pins his wrists to the bed while straddling him just listen to me michael all but yells but max keeps struggling trying to free his wrists but michael doesnt let up eventually max stops and pants now will.you listen to me michael says_
> 
> I hope I did it justice!

There’s a wild look in Michael’s eyes as Max pushes him against the truck with a loud _thud_ that reverberates through the desert and makes Isobel flinch. Something seems to click deep down his soul when, instead of staring down at the ground while Max tries to get into his car, Michael fights back. 

Suddenly Max is no longer scraping to get inside the car but pinned to the chassis, tables turned as Michael controls him with just a hand outstretched and a glare under furrowed brows. From the yelp coming from Isobel, Max has the feeling that this has surprised her too. 

“Let me go,” he says attempting to keep his voice even. “You promised you’d never use your powers on us like this. Let me go.”

“Isobel,” Michael barks. She hastily reaches them from her spot sitting on the truck bed. “Take his keys and get us outta here.” 

“Michael,” and it sounds like a plea he doesn’t really heed. 

“Once we’ve reached Max’s, you’ll go find Liz. You’ll convince her to leave Roswell again just like you did ten years ago. She can’t be trusted.”

Those words ring a distant bell on Isobel's mind, but it is too vague and she’s too scared of this new side of Michael that she wasn't even aware he had. Despite her distress, she fiddles around Max’s pocket and takes out the car keys. “Got them,” she says. “Get inside. I'll do whatever you say, Michael, just please let Max go.”

Michael flicks his hand and all of a sudden Max is no longer pinned to the car, but he’s moving alongside the vehicle, his back scratching against metal. The door opens on its own volition and a force more powerful than he is pushes him inside. Michael jumps inside as well and closes the door with his left hand. 

“What are you waiting for, Isobel?” he asks viciously. “We have work to do.”

She does as told, speeding up enough to get them moving without rising any suspicion, Max fainted protests and threats muffled by Michael's fingers wriggling in the void before them, and before she can realize it she’s pulling up next to Max’s entrance. Through the rearview mirror she can see a strange smirk on Michael's face, one she has never seen him wear. As scared as she is, she knows better than to contradict her brother in his current state of mind. 

Isobel might have been the one blocking out, but it's Michael who’s acting as if someone possessed him. 

The foreign look in his eyes tells her that maybe she isn’t that far off. 

She watches as they get out of the car – Michael dragging Max out with his mind – before leaving them behind in a quest to find Liz and make her flee from Roswell. That's if she can help her out of whatever trouble she’d gotten into, given her insight of Liz’s mind. 

Max has already had enough of Michael acting like some kind of evil _padrino_ , and he’s now voicing his contempt as Michael drops him unceremoniously on his own couch, lifting his mental grip in him enough to replace it with a much more tactile one. 

“I don't know what’s got into you, but this isn’t you, Michael,” Max spits out, fighting against his brother to free himself. “What’s going on?”

Michael doesn’t answer, too busy maneuvering Max around until he has Max’s wrists trapped with his fingers. Max can feel the badly rearranged bones in Michael's mangled hand pressing against his skin. He pulls, eliciting a gasp from Max. “Much better,” he mumbles almost to himself. 

“You’re not going to say anything?” Max asks again. “What’s so dangerous about me falling in love with Liz and wanting her around? Why can’t you just leave the past behind and stop acting like a spoiled brat?”

Michael is fuming, Max can tell from the tightening of fingers against skin, from the rigid stance of the man he once called _brother_ , but as he is about to reply there's a noise coming from the trail outside the ranch – as if a car was coming up the road. Michael tugs him further into the bedroom, letting go of one wrist to lift the hand to Max’s mouth. 

“Michael?” Isobel's voice carries through the silence across the rooms. “I found Liz but couldn’t force her to do anything.” There’s annoyance in her tone. “Knocked her out and brought her here. Michael?”

Max surges forward, trying to get Liz’s name out of his parched lips that won't cooperate because, of course, Michael's got them under his utter control. After what seems like a lifetime and can’t be over a heartbeat, they both hear the front door opening, sounds of feet finding a way outside as well as something similar to a body being dragged out. 

Max slumps against the wall, defenseless. Powerless. 

Michael turns him onto the mattress, keeping him in place with a force that doesn’t feel natural – not even for them. At the receiving end of Michael's fury, Max feels as if his brother’s powers have been enhanced. 

“Now, would you stop fighting back?” Michael demands authorially. “This is for your own good, you know. You’ll be thanking me in the end. It'll be just you, Isobel and me, just like it always was.”

Max stares at him wide eyed. There's something odd in Michael’s speech, although he can’t put his finger on what it is. 

“If I let go off you, would you promise to stay put and not shout out?” Michael doesn’t wait for him to answer, already liberating his right wrist. 

Which is a bad decision, because the second Max is freed he settles for punching Michael. 

Nose bleeding, Michael resumes pinning him to the bed with his mind, “Can’t you see it’s for your own good?” cracking through gritted teeth as the effort of having Max controlled takes its toll on him.

He looks as if he’s about to start another rally about convenience when suddenly he collapses on top of Max like a death weight. Looking around the handful of Michael straddling him to the bed, he sees a bashful Isobel and a determined Liz with a bat dangling from her small hands. 

At his surprised quirked brow, all she has to say is, “He’s going to have a hell of a headache tomorrow.”

**Author's Note:**

> Come find me on [tumblr](https://lire-casander.tumblr.com/)! And if you have prompt, please feel free to request them through my [ask page](https://lire-casander.tumblr.com/ask) so I can have them all neatly together. Thanks for reading!


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